The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday raised an alarm that some politicians in Oyo State are approaching the commission for the purchase of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), in order to rig the 2019 general elections.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state, Barrister Mutiu Agboke made this revelation while delivering his keynote address at a one-day seminar organised for online journalists in the state.
Agboke while speaking at the event held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Centre, Iyaganku under the theme “Online journalism and Media integrity in Nigeria”, did not reveal the identity of the political party involved.
He assured residents of the state of smooth elections devoid of crisis in 2019, added that no staff of the commission will sell PVCs to any politician.
Agboke said, “They are looking for PVCs to buy. They are looking for what is not available because they know that these things are not available. This is the security report at my disposal.
“Tell those who are looking for PVCs to buy that there is none to buy in Oyo state. I can assure you that no INEC staff will sell PVCs to any politician. I can assure you that the process will be free in Oyo state.
“Those who are looking for PVCs to buy, I won’t give you the name. I don’t have the name.
“But, that is the security report I got and the report did not specify the party and the individual that is involved. They want us to give them PVCs but we can’t give it to them. They want to buy PVCs but there is none to sell in Oyo state.”
Agboke urged journalists in the state to cooperate with the commission in spreading accurate information to members of the public.
He said, “But, all of us are stakeholders. If you are in doubt call INEC. More so, you are online journalists, let us ensure that we have our facts correct.”
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